Bates Motel (TV Series) Trust Me (2013) User Reviews

Another fantastic episode (SPOILERS)

[callanvass · 9/10 · 3 December 2013]

Norman manages to escape from his precarious predicament at Deputy Shelby's house, after ostensibly finding a girl in Shelby's basement, thanks to his Brother Dylan's diversion, but Norman is forced to leave the girl behind. Norman runs home to tell his mother about the girl, but his Mother blames it on Norman's delusions, by saying that he sees things that are imaginary. Norma has a night over at Deputy Shelby's place, and wakes up in the middle of the night to see if her son is correct. She sees nothing abnormal. Norman wants to walk Emma to school, but her dad says she has the flu and is not well enough to go to school. Her dad gives Norman a caveat about hurting Emma, while Norman insists that he is decent, to Emma's dad. Deputy Shelby wants to befriend Norman, but Norman is still incensed about him dating his Mother. His Mother forces him to go fishing with Shelby, where Shelby tells Norman that he is in their life for the long term to protect him & his mother. The Sheriff finds Keith Summer's hand, after it was caught in a fisherman's net. Norman emotionally confesses everything to his brother Dylan. Dylan says he's gonna take care of Norman, and tells him to go have fun for once

After a rather subdued second episode, this series has really begun to up the ante with each episode. This one continues that trend in a big way. I loved the second episode as well, but it felt more transitional than anything else, which is far from a bad thing. I like how they didn't let Norma see the Asian that Norman did in the ending of the previous episode. If you see it for the first time, it makes you question to whether Norman is lucid or crazy after all. I love how they are getting Dylan involved in many things. I knew his character had tons of potential when I saw him for the first time in the second episode. You get to see what he's really made of, and the big heart that he has. I absolutely loved the scenes where Norman & Dylan bond. It felt like a normal brother to brother session. As I've stated in previous review, you'll see even more of that as the series continues, but more of Max Thieriot later on in my review. I found Norman wanting to walk Emma to school to be an interesting turn of events, after seemingly wanting to stray away from her in the previous episode. Emma doesn't appear at all in this one, but fret not. She is a big character in the rest of season one. Norman's harbored resentment towards Shelby for dating his Mom, reminded me a lot of the events from Psycho IV: The Beginning. I love that this show has its own agenda, but continuity is a great thing as well. Director Johan Reneck has some brilliantly orchestrated, suspense in this episode. He has a firm grasp at what his audience wants. I was really impressed with his direction.

Freddie Highmore's portrayal of Norman continues to floor me with each episode. He's beginning to get crazier, slowly but surely. I love how they are not rushing his descent into madness. It dawned on me during this episode that Norman kept Keith Summer's belt, because watching Norma get raped, horrified Norman, but turned him on a bit as well. That's why he kept the belt as a memento. Think about it. In Norman's crazy state in the Psycho movies, he commenced the killings, because he felt he was protecting his Mother. That's essentially what Norman is starting to do in this series. I'm extremely impressed with the show's congruency. Proper buildup is vital to me, and I can't praise Norman's direction, enough. Vera Farmiga is a revelation. She's Clingy, demanding, manipulative, and it just goes to show that they've really done their homework. Norma's character is ice cold in this movie. She flips out at Dylan, caters to her boyfriend over Norman, even though Norman is clearly uncomfortable hanging with Shelby. Every week, I think Vera can't impress me more than she already has, yet she continues to pull it off. Mike Vogel's Shelby character is really starting to evolve. Nicola Peltz continues her romance with Norman as Bradley. I like how they've developed Norman and Bradley. Things get very steamy with them in this one. Max Thieriot continues to amaze me as well. We get another cliffhanger of an ending. It was a good way to end things on, to keep people waiting for next week.

Final Thoughts: These episodes are even better the second time around. They would kind of flub the ending of this episode, just a tad in the next episode, but nowhere near enough to hinder my love for this show. This is another terrific episode

9.3/10

Should We Trust Anyone?

[gab-14712 · 9/10 · 9 February 2019]

The fourth episode of Bates Motel really has me pondering about how I truly think about this episode. On the surface, I think it's a great hour of television that is creepy, tense, and focuses on the unstableness of Norma. Regardless, Vera Farmiga is fantastic here and her line deliveries remain a thing of beauty. That said, I was perplexed about a few things. 1.) The cliffhanger from last episode was essentially swept under the rug. Norman being trapped in Deputy Shelby's house with the sex slave as Shelby arrived home was a great way to end the episode. But, Dylan (perhaps too coincidentally) happens to be in the area and saves Norman in time. All of this within the first five minutes. 2.) Bradley and Norman hook up and bond even further after Bradley's father died. The resulting action is a rather horrid sex scene. That sex scene was the worst thing about the episode, but it was also so memorable. That said, this episode is perfect when it comes to exploring characters relationships. Norman and Dylan grow closer, especially when Norman fills his brother in the details about Keith Summers. Norman and his mother grew further apart as she begins dating Deputy Shelby himself. Finally, there seems to be some satisfyingly odd sexual tension between Dylan and Norma. There is even one point where you would be rooting for them to kiss. That is part of what makes this show so weird.

In this episode, "Trust Me," Norman is able to escape Shelby's house after Dylan came to his rescue and created a diversion, but he was not able to rescue the Chinese sex slave. He tells Norma what happened, but she does not believe him. She did decide to check the basement herself but found nothing. Emma is sick with the flu, so she has to miss a week of school. Bradley's father died, which results in Bradley and Norman bonding with each other. Shelby tries to be a father figure towards Norman and he decides to take Norman fishing. A fisherman found Summer's hand, which makes Sheriff Romero believe that Norma is the one who killed Summer.

Overall, this is a solid hour of television. There were a few things that I highlighted in the first paragraph that appeared strange to me, but that did not diminish my overall thoughts of the episode. Great acting all around and complex character interactions are what made this episode so watchable. We continue to see Norman's slow but sure descent into craziness and we even wonder if Norman is actually seeing things. When Norma goes down in Shelby's basement and sees nothing, we wonder if Norman actually saw the sex slave. We also meet Emma's father, Will Decody (played by Ian Hart known as Professor Quirrell in the first Harry Potter movie). He is a delightfully weird character. This episode is at its best when exploring character's relationships and I definitely look forward to see what is in store next.

My Grade: A-

Trust Me

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 8 April 2013]

While I don't think anyone believes Norman can have a happy, healthy relationship with anyone, this episode shows (Is it real or fantasy? I can't tell) him actually going to Bradley's house (invited by her via text) and making out with her! It's that "Holy crap! Norman's gonna get laid!" moment that seems too surreal to be true. I think "Trust Me" will be notable for the arrest of Norma Bates and how Dylan is starting to gain favor with Norman. Can Dylan pry Norman away from his mother? Look, we already know the answer to that question, but it should be fun to see how the writers will keep Norma out of prison for the murder of Keith Summers, and what will stop the separation of mother and son. Clips seem to indicate Norma's becoming convinced Norman will betray her. Norman is also in the clip saying no one will split apart him and mama. I think this is one of those "buffer" episodes that indicates big events—the last episode proves Norman does see and hear things/people that aren't there, falling into a trance and this episode has Norma informing him she knows he does, attempting to console him—prior to "Trust Me" and afterward, with "Ocean View" as Norma faces a possible prison term and the loss of her son. Dylan truly does seem interested in Norman's welfare and his severed ties from Norma (who he calls crazy and considers a detriment to Norman's future and life). Time will only tell how Dylan will see his exodus from the picture and Norma's evasion of damaging potential charges that could send her to prison. I'm curious as to where the show is going with Bradley and Norman. Emma is momentarily left out of the picture, although her father does address how she has a crush on Norman with him. Norman tells Emma's pops he is decent. A few episodes back, we see that Emma's father is into taxidermy which gives us a head's up on where this "hobby" gained influence on Norman; I think this is a nice touch. Before even trying to build upon the Norma/Deputy Shelby romantic angle, the clip for next week has him asking for them to not see each other for a while! This is the angle that seems to throw me off. I can't get into this subplot because it feels so temporary, even in its construction. We know that a man will eventually come between Norma and Norman (unless the writers decide to take a different route from the expected…), but Shelby seems too much too soon. The man, as of now anyway, potentially troubling the water, is Dylan.

Dylan knows Norma is banging Shelby. Dylan encourages Norman to meet up with Bradley for some alone time. Bradley is mourning the loss of her father, and Norman offers consolation. He will be ears for anything she might want to say, without demanding her to get on with life. Understanding that mourning is a natural process/progression, Bradley falls even harder for him because he seems to say all the right things she needs to hear during this lamentation. Norma is under questioning from the sheriff after Summers' severed hand (a particular watch the sheriff can identify) is found in a fishing net. He tells her he knows Norma is responsible, asking for a confession. Carpet fibers are found in the watch. The carpet she was pulling up, sheriff wants her to tell him where she trashed it, receiving no cooperation. She tries to get it, but the gates are locked at the landfill. Sheriff shows up with cops to arrest her. The show ends with Norma in a very humiliating moment being cuffed and taken away (after she has an intense confrontation with Dylan over Norman's being out with a girl). The chained girl in the basement room was addressed as Norman tells Norma about it, not trusting Shelby and she humors him by looking later that night (she had slept with Shelby at his home). Finding nothing (she didn't have that long to look before Shelby interrupted her), she just figures Norman was lost in his schizo trance, imagining it all.

Trust Me

[Michael_Elliott · 9 April 2013]

Bates Motel: 'Trust Me' (2013)

Rating: B+

A&E's "Bates Motel" mini-series is basically going to be re-working PSYCHO IV. If you've seen that film then you know it shows what was going on with Mrs. Bates and Norman before the events in the original Alfred Hitchcock film. While that prequel wasn't perfect, it at least put a nice wrap-around story to the original film.

This fourth episode in the series starts off where the previous one ended as Norman (Freddie Highmore) discovers a secret that his mom's new boyfriend has. As the episode moves along the heat on Norma (Vera Farmiga) grows hotter as a severed hand is pulled out from some water. While all of this is going on Norman and his step brother Dylan (Max Thieriot) continue to build their relationship.

"Trust Me" continues to build on some high marks that the previous episode really put into motion. I think this episode is certainly one of the better ones so far and the ending will certainly leave you burning to know what's going to happen next. I think once again the episode works because we're given some strong writing, which is certainly true during the best moments of this thing, which once again happen between Norman and Dylan. I really think that their relationship is giving the series something special and it actually works. A lot of this is due to the actors turning in excellent performances but the girl talk between the two just contains something that feels so real that you can't help but bring yourself into their relationship. The stuff with the boyfriend (Mike Vogel) continues to grow weirder by the moment but it's fascinating and especially his relationship with Norman. This episode even finds Norman and Bradley (Nicola Peltz) doing something fans of PSYCHO won't be expecting. Overall this is a strong episode with the terrific performances we've come to expect but there's also a lot of soul beginning to grow.

Bates Motel Trust Me

[dalydj-918-255175 · 8 April 2013]

The body of Keith Summers is finally found, well a part of it which leads to the arrest of Norma at the end of the episode while Norman is having some dream sex with Bradley. The tone of the show this week seemed to be unintentional comedy from Norma on the gates shaking to Emma's dad asking Norman to be nice to Emma while Norman pines after Bradley. Vera Farmiga is actually the decent actor on the show and she had many emotional scenes tonight whether anger or sadness as she fights between her grown up sons as they life with her. Other actors and characters are less interesting with Norman the main character portrayed by Freedie Highmore being such a bore and nothing like what the character should be and the emotional work given to Highmore is not as convincing as it should especially when he is acting across Farmiga which is all the time. Probably the best episode of the show so far which is not saying much because overall the show is average at best with a standout role for Farmiga that will get to see the light of day of a second season just announced recently.

EPISODE GRADE: B- (MVP: Vera Farmiga)